The French government has issued a stern warning to global online retailer Shein, threatening to block access to its platform after authorities discovered sex dolls resembling children being sold on the website.
France’s Economy Minister, Roland Lescure, condemned the products during an interview on RMC, saying the company’s actions had crossed a moral and legal line.
“The boundaries have been crossed. If this behaviour is repeated, we are within our rights to ban access to the Shein platform on the French market, and I would do so,” Lescure said.
The country’s consumer protection authority, DGCCRF, which operates under the Economy Ministry, confirmed that the product descriptions and categories on Shein’s website left “little doubt about the child pornographic nature” of the items.
Lescure added that an official investigation has been launched, with judicial authorities already aware of the issue.
“These terrible objects are illegal,” he declared, emphasizing that France would not tolerate such violations.
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In response, Shein, whose headquarters are in Singapore, announced that the controversial products had been removed immediately from its online store.
Company spokesperson Quentin Ruffat expressed regret in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter):
“We are taking this situation extremely seriously. This type of content is completely unacceptable and goes against all the values we stand by. Immediate measures have been taken to rectify the situation.”
Authorities say further regulatory action could follow depending on the outcome of the ongoing probe.
